Local lakes: Bass anglers are reporting an increase in largemouth bass action on local lakes and ponds. Anglers fishing early mornings and evenings have gone back to using top-water baits to catch aggressive bass. Two anglers told me they have been fishing after dark during the full moon series and have experienced the best largemouth action all season. This is the week that local trout anglers have been waiting for as the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife completes the last of its 2009 trout stockings. Bradley, Empire and Saunders lakes and Powers Pond are scheduled to receive thousands of 2-pound trophy trout. With the mild weather and little fishing pressure, anglers should do great this weekend.

Local rivers: Anglers fishing the lower Rogue River at Gold Beach are still reporting good catches of Chinook and coho salmon. Look for good numbers of coho to continue entering the system through mid-October. Salmon fishing in Coos Bay remains good, with plenty of hatchery Chinook being taken. Shore-based anglers are reporting good action from the boardwalk in Coos Bay and upriver near the mouth of Daniels Creek. Salmon fishing on the Coquille River remained strong last week. Anglers fishing the bay near Old Town Bandon have been picking up some nice coho and an occasional king salmon. Robert Johnson of Bandon picked up two 12-pound kings last week. We should see an increase of fish in the bay as jack salmon and three-year-old Chinook return to Ferry Creek in Old Town. As the river temperature cools down, anglers are starting to pick up Chinook farther upriver. Rick Howard (347-3280) got his clients four nice king salmon up near the dog kennels on the Coquille Monday morning. Reports coming out of Brookings have been good as the Chetco River is seeing an increase in king salmon fishing. Fishing should improve this month.

Pacific Ocean: With the ocean conditions settling down this week, look for anglers to target local rock cod. Remember: As of Oct. 1, anglers may fish for rock cod at any depth. This is great news for ports that have better fishing outside the 40-fathom line.

Area shellfish: The numbers of crab being taken in the bay at Bandon are down, but the quality of crab has been incredible. The crab we have been cooking for customers have been the best we’ve seen in years. The hot spot has been out in the bay near Charleston. Boaters have seen an increase in numbers and quality of crab in recent weeks. Remember: Oct. 15 is the last day of the ocean sport crab season, with bays remaining open all year.

Beaches statewide are still closed to the harvest of clams and mussels due to elevated levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning. This closure doesn’t include shellfish harvesting in local bays. For a daily update on beach closures, you can call the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Shellfish Hotline at (800) 448-2474.

(Tony Roszkowski has owned and operated Port O’ Call — www.TonyscrabShack.com — on the Bandon waterfront since 1989. Many South Coast anglers rely on his fish and shellfish reports. Hear more from Tony on ‘Oregon Outdoors’ Thursdays on KWRO 630 AM.)